Combined fifteen-ball pool rack and spotter



(No Model.)

W- A! COMBINED FIFTEEN .BALL POOL BACK AND SPOTTER.

ATTORNEYS.

No. 301,641. Patented July 8, 1884* inatically and accurately spotted;and, finally,

NITED STATES k ATENT FricE'.

"WILLIAM A. TEA, OF CLYDE, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,641, dated July 8,1884.

I Application filed March it), 1884. (X0 model.)

fr: aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. TEA, of Clyde, in the county of Sanduslryand State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Combined FifteeoBallPool Rack and Spotter, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to improvements upon afifteen-ball pool-rack forwhich Letters Patent were granted to me April 15, 1884, the same beingnumbered 297,031, said rack being provided with atrough or conduit forleading the balls from the rack to the pool-table, the rack and conduitor trough being arranged to be swung out from the wall or support tohorizontal position for spotting, andheld in vertical position forreceiving and holding the balls as the game proceeds, the rack beingarranged also to automatically empty the balls into the trough orconduit when the rack is brought to horizontal position.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the partsof the rack; in the construction of thetrough or conduitnt tached to therack to prevent clogging of the balls; in the attachment to the outerend of the trough or conduit of the triangle for spotting the balls,whereby the balls may be autoin the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of my new and improved pool-rackas it appears when swung out from the wall or upright support tohorizontal position for spotting the halls. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same raised to vertical position. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional elevation taken on the line of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4; is a frontelevation of the lower end of the rack and of the trough or conthetriangle, attached to the outer end of the trough or conduit 1B, and Drepresents a frame composed of the bars (I d (1 hinged to the rack A andto the wall or upright support E- by the hinges c c, as shown clearly inFig. 1.

The rack A iscornposed of the side pieces, I) b, which arecorrespondingly apcrtured, as shown at b If, for the entrance and exitof the balls, and of the series of cross-bars e e, be-

tween and upon which the balls are placed and held in the rack. The rearor lower ends of the side pieces, I) I), of the rack A are. attached bythe hingfi ff to the blocks 9 9, held in the ways F F, secured to thewall or upright support E, and these blocks 5 g-are adapted to slide upand down in the said ways F F to perwit the rack A and trough B'to beswung for ward to horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and raised tovertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper edges of all of thecrossbars 6 6, the edges which are uppermost when the rack A stands invertical position,

' are the edges which support the balls in the balls will remain inposition when placed in the rack through the above-mentioned apel turesb. When the rack A is tipped down to the horizontal position, the ballsrest upon thethen'upper edges of the bars 2, as shown in Fig. 8, andthese edges are beveled from the apertures If to the apertures b to forminclines for causing the balls to roll of their own weight from the rackA into the trough B, as will be understood from said Fig. 3. Forpreventing the balls from rolling out at the apertures b when they areplaced in the rack A, I hinge to the side piece 6 the stop plate or doorG, which is held closed over the apertures 12 bythe action of the springH when the rack is in vertical position, but which is opened by thechain I in the act of bringing the rack A to horizontal position, ashereinafter described.

The trough Bis composed of the two concaved strips h h, held togetherwith their 0011- caved surfaces facing each other, and their lower edgesa little distance apart by the above-mentioned stays w a and thestay-iron u. The outer strip, h, of the trough is provided at its upperedge with the stop-rail J, for keeping the balls from passing the troughin rolling out of the rack A, and the upper edge of the strip h isprovided with theflange I tached trough B will be swung by the attendingbeen thus spotted, the attendant will raise put the rack in position toreceive the balls passing from the rack A into the trough B,

, vertical position shown in Fig. 2, where they K, the outer edge ofwhich reaches past the outer surface of the side piece I), and slightlyoverhangs the trough B, so that the balls, in

will be carried against the outside of the trough or against rail J overany balls that may be in the trough, so that their outward motion isentirely stopped before they descend into the trough B, which preventsthe'balls from coming forcibly together in the trough, and prevents alldanger of the balls clogging in the trough.

The triangle 0 is attached to the outer end of the trough B by screwspassing through the cleat c and entering the strips h h, and thetriangle is provided at its outer edge with the rail 0, for preventingthe balls from passing the triangle after they leave the trough B.

L is a counter-weight placed in the casing L, and attached to the troughB by the cord M, which passes over the pulley N, so that in swinging ortipping the rack and trough to horizontal position the weight L will beraised in casing L, and serve to retard sudden movement of the rack, andthe weight being thus raised in the casing L, it will assist the swing'ing of the rack back to vertical position.

It is designed to have the trough B of such length relative to thedistance of the pool-table T from the upright support E, and to have thetable so placed that when the trough and rack are brought to horizontalposition the triangle 0 will be placed upon the table, so as toaccurately spot the balls, thus avoiding all danger of one playergaining advantage over another by reason of irregular or inaccuratespotting of the balls, which is liable to occur when the balls arespotted by hand.

In use while the players are pocketing the balls the rack and trianglewill be raised towill be held by the action of the weight L. As theballs are shot into the pockets, the attendant on the game will placethem in the rack A,between the bars 6 0, through the aper-' tures b inthe side piece I). All of the balls having been pocketed, the rack A andatant to horizontal position shown in Fig. 1. This will cause side pieceI) to move away from the bar at of hinged frame D,'so.that chain I willopen the hinged door G- against the tension of the spring H, and permitthe balls to roll from the rack A into the trough B, along which theywill 'roll to the triangle 0, which, as above mentioned, will accuratelyspot them upon the table T. The balls havthe rack A and trough B tovertical position, which will slacken the chain I and permit the springH to close the hinged door G, and thus again. In this manner it will beseen that the rack is very convenient, is automatic in its action, andwill always spot the balls accurately upon the table.

' Having thus described my-inventioml claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The swinging rack A, provided with the inclinedcross pieces or bars -e', for causing the balls to roll out of the rackwhen the rack is brought to horizontal position, as set forth.

2'. The rack A, having the straight horizontal cross pieces or bars 6,in combination with .the cross bars or pieces e,-that are straight uponone edge and inclined'upon the other edge, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. The rack A, composed of the parallel cross-pieces e and e, the latterbeing inclined upon one edge, the 'apertured side piece I), and theapertured side piece, I), substantially as and for the purposes setforth. 4. The rack A, hinged to the sliding blocks 9, and also to theframe D, hinged at its upper end to the wall or upright-support E,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The rack A,hinged to the blocks 9, placed in the ways F, and hingedto the hinged frame D, in combination with the counter-weight L,attached to the rack Aby the cord M, passing over pulley N,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The trough B, attached to rack A, and provided with the rail J, saidrail being disposed opposite one side of said rack and above the topedge of said trough, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

side of the trough, and said ledge slightly overhanging said trough,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The swinging rack A, having the automatically operated =door, G, incombination with the trough B, having the triangle 0 attached to itsouter end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. I

10. The rack A, hinged to sliding blocks 9, and to hinged frame D, andprovided with the automatically-operated door G, in combination with thecounter-weight L, trough B, and triangle 0, attached to the outer end ofthe trough, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

WVILLIAM A. TEA.

WVitnesses:

HOMER O. N onLn, J NO. D. FINCH.

IIO

